BNP wins two seats in European elections

The British National Party won two seats in last week’s European elections, with one seat in the north-west going to party leader Nick Griffin.

The other, in Yorkshire and the Humber, was won by Andrew Brons, a former National Front chairman.

This is the first time the party has won seats in a national election and also the first in a parliament or assembley.

Politicians from all three major parties had urged voters not to express their anger over the expenses scandal by voting for minority parties such as the BNP.

Griffin told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “There’s a huge amount of racism in this country, overwhelmingly it is directed towards the indigenous British majority, which is one reason we’ve done so well in these elections.

There was no direct comment made with regards to the gay community, however the BNP publicises its policy of tolerance to homosexuality in private, but states that it “should not be promoted or encouraged.”

The far right party will receive a £4 million boost to its income following its success in Brussels.

The party’s gains success was met with disappointment by mainstream politicians, with equalities minister Harriet Harman saying: “I think it’s a terrible thing that we’ve now got representing Britain in the European parliament a party that is a racist party, a party that doesn’t believe black people should even be allowed to join this party.

“What extremist, far right, racist parties like the British National Party do is that they exploit people’s fears and if people are worried about their future they turn inwards.”

Tory leader David Cameron said: “It is desperately depressing. It is obviously a depressing day, for all of us.

“The BNP are completely beyond the pale. what the mainstream parties have to do is prove their worth, get on the doorstep, explain to people how we are going to take up their concerns, how we are going to respond to their issues.”